Chicago Trainers

Strength training, which is also popularly known as weight lifting, forms part of an integrated fitness program. It is famous among gym goers, because it effectively builds muscle mass and allows one to become stronger. Above all, it keeps the calories at bay and allows you to have a lean and shapely body.

Recommended Routines For Newbies

As a novice to weight lifting, it is best that you consider hiring a professional trainer or coach instead of groping around in the dark for the right combination of strength routines. Like other trainers, Chicago trainers will agree that doing so will ensure that you will be guided as  you progress with your workouts.

Some of the recommended beginner exercises include push-ups for the chest area and back extensions to tone the back muscle group. Any Chicago trainer will also recommend French press for the triceps area and dumbbell curls for biceps. Meanwhile, effective lower body routines for any beginner include calf raises. These five weightlifting routines are highly favored for novices as these are moderate and generally easy to execute and familiarize.

Important Reminders for Weightlifting Novices

Start with a warm-up session of moderate cardio workouts for at least 10-20 minutes to prepare the muscles for movement. It is advisable to do at least two routines for each muscle group. This should consist of only 1-2 sets of 8-15 repetitions, no more and no less. Beyond this recommended number, it can get highly dangerous for newbie fitness buffs that are just starting with strength training.

Fitness buffs should also concentrate on the appropriate form and should learn to improve and master the proper performance and technique of each weightlifting routine. This is vital in getting the most from strength training and avoiding injury as well. Every exercise should conclude with the proper cool-downs and a day of rest is advisable after every session.

Have ever thought of life without weights? Or though about how life was before when we didn’t have treadmills or abs machines? If you ever thought that you could not train without the use of any gym equipment, then you are definitely wrong. Any trainer, even a trainer in Chicago, will be able to train you without the use of fancy gym equipment. In fact, here are some trainer tips that can help you if you cannot use gym facilities.

Adapt to your Environment

Even a Chicago trainer or any other trainer will tell you that you can train without using bulky gym. One way is by going to the playground and using benches and monkey bars. Did you know that these are an excellent when it comes to toning your core muscles? You just have to observe your environment, and you will constantly discover new ways to train yourself.

Home is Where the Heart is

Even at the privacy of your own home, it is possible for you to do certain exercises such as pushups, leg raises that do not necessarily need expensive gym equipment.  You can even rent some videos on tae-bo or hip hop for warm-ups. Not just that, working out at home means that you are able to spend more time with your loved ones. Most of the time, all you need are some exercise mats and balance balls. If you can’t resist the pull of free weights, then buy a set of dumbbells or use large cans of fruit cocktail.

Circuit Training

For athletes out there, circuit training is also perfect for those who want a quick workout without the weights. It would basically include your non-equipment exercises such as pushups, lunges, crunches and bench dips. For this type of work out, it is you against your body weight. Just make sure that there are rests in between the exercises to avoid your body from getting too sore.

Many golfers in corporate America invest in some of the most expensive golf clubs as if these were enough to improve their golfing prowess. And when sudden low back pains or shoulder aches plague them after a golf bout, they think these are just the typical hazards of the game. Truth is golf is an athletic activity that requires top physical form like any sport. If these golfers have not invested the time and effort to improve their physical condition, they really can’t be successful in the sport.

Strength Training for Golfers

Most golfers hardly have the time and patience to have a proper gym workout so they can improve their muscular strength. This is why it pays to get a veteran professional Chicago trainer if you happen to reside in Illinois. A few twists or swings to prepare yourself for a golf tourney simply won’t do. There are resistance workouts that can improve a couple of areas critical for a golfer – strength and flexibility

Get a Strong Core

A developed set of body muscles is the powerhouse core for the proper golf swing on your first tee off.  Strength or resistance training that can work up your shoulders, abdominals, back and hip muscles is critical in supporting and accelerating your arm swing. Golf celebrities like Tiger Woods and Gary Player have championed strength training as an essential regimen for maximizing their golfing achievements. Developing the muscles through weights like barbells and dumbbells on incline bench press is a start.

Flexibility is Key

On the other hand, flexibility is all about having the range of body movement for a fluid seamless and effortless swing, short or long, that allows you to hit the golf ball under any terrain condition. There are golf stretching exercises like the Lying Leg Crossover golf stretch  that extend the reach of your shoulders, torso and hip movements for this purpose. Learn from the weight training guidance of your Chicago trainers when maximizing your golfing abilities. No amount of exotic golf clubs will get you to the top unless your body is conditioned enough to get you there.

One of the more annoyingly common foot problems happens when the fibrous tissue band plantar fascia, which sits between the heel and the ball of your feet, gets stretched. This can lead to it becoming inflamed or even torn. The injury is a painful heel problem called plantar fasciitis and is a cause of pain to many people who overdo exercises that impact the feet.

Ranging from mild to severe where the pain becomes unbearable enough to hamper walking for days, plantar fasciitis afflicts people engaged in jogging, walking, running and jumping. It is more common among overweight and obese people starting out on weight loss regimens. Your trainer in Chicago, if you happen to reside there, knows the condition and while they can advise you on how to prevent it. Here are some things that you should know.

Lose Excess Weight

Obese folks can suffer from plantar fasciitis just by walking a considerable distance everyday in improper fitting shoes. Your feet are your body’s shock absorber against gravity.  Standing for long periods of time is enough to strain your feet to cause plantar fasciitis. Losing a few excess pounds weight is your first preventive measure against this. You may even try swimming instead of high-impact cardio workouts.

Move Off your Couch

A sedentary lifestyle weakens your feet muscles. Weak muscles are more vulnerable to tear when strained beyond what it is not used to do. When you hardly move off your couch to even stand up and change TV channels, you are weakening your feet muscles. Get off the couch and do some workouts with your Chicago trainer guiding you in your start-up regimen.

Never Overdo Your Workout

Never overdo any kind of exercise routine. That’s a sure prescription to strain your muscles needlessly, and applies even more to folks who are doing everything in fast forward in the hope that they can get the health benefits faster. You should never hurry things up if you have weak muscles to start with, because you are inviting all sorts of muscle injuries when you overdo it. This includes your plantar fasciitis muscles that carry your weight.

Not happy with your arms? The best way to sculpt them, according to many Chicago trainers, is to use free weights. In fact, any Chicago trainer would advise that you focus more on your arms when doing body-sculpting exercises, since they are shown off more than other body parts. Here are three exercises that will give you leaner and perfect-looking arms.

Bicep Curls
Remember to do this exercise one arm at a time. You can be standing up or sitting down, but the important thing is to keep your back straight and your feet hip-width apart. Keep your arms straight down at your side, palms facing toward the hip, and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Then, raise one dumbbell to the level of your chest by bending your elbow. Hold it there for a few seconds, then, return the dumbbell to its original position. Repeat with the other arm, and do several repetitions.

Tricep Crushers
Lay flat on a bench with your face up. Grip a dumbbell or weight in each hand, and with your arms at right angles to your body, hold them straight up in the air. Then, bend your arms at the elbows and lower the weights above your head, making sure that your palms are facing upward. Keep your arms stationary from elbow to shoulder while in this pose. Then, raise the weights back into position. Repeat as many times as you’re comfortable.

Chair Dips
While sitting on the edge of a chair, place your hands next to your hips. Your elbows should be pointing back and your fingers should be holding onto the chair’s front. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Then, bend your elbows and lower your upper body slowly toward the floor. When you’ve gone as low as you can, push your body upward until your arms are fully extended. Squeeze your muscles when you’ve reached your farthest, then start lowering yourself again (don’t sit down till your reps are all done).

Just starting out with your yoga practice? Here are some newbie tips to keep you on the right track:

The Basic Mindset
When doing yoga poses, it’s essential to concentrate — and focus — on each movement. One of the most basic yoga tenets is that with each movement, you are trying to connect your body with your mind and your breath. Should you experience pain, either release your hold slightly or exit the pose altogether. Remember: form and technique are far more important than accomplishing the pose. It’s much better to perform a pose just once correctly rather than repeating it over and over incorrectly. There should be an order to your beginner poses; make sure to consult with your yoga trainer in Chicago so that you know what order of poses will best benefit your body.

Warming Up
Most beginner classes for yoga start with introductory (basic) poses to warm your body up and prepare it for safer transition into asana (yoga posture) practice. For beginners like you, these primary poses could take up your entire session at first. These deep-breathing and gentle-stretching exercises will flex and “open” your shoulder muscles, spine, hips, lower back, and groin.

Miscellaneous Tips for Starters
If you have one, your personal Chicago trainer will tell you that notable yoga experts like Seane Corn and Baron Baptiste have their own pet pointers for yoga starters. Here are some of them: (1) Bring a sense of humor along — beginner students who get hung up on doing everything perfectly are less likely to return. (2) Don’t force it! Adapt your movements to fit your level of stamina and strength. This way, you won’t only avoid injury but you’ll also feel more comfortable with each pose. (3) Don’t waste time berating yourself about what you can’t do. Instead, stay connected to feeling your poses — “breathing” yourself into each pose — and you’ll find that your yoga experience will be better. (4) Always drink lots of water!

If you want to lose weight in the most effective way, your best option is to work with a personal trainer. Personal trainers are your partners in getting into shape – they help you formulate realistic fitness goals, create a workout regimen that addresses your needs and lifestyle, and provide you with motivation and encouragement. But should they meddle in your diet? Let’s find out.

Should Trainers Give Nutritional Advice?
According to the American Council on Exercise, personal trainers should avoid making specific dietary recommendations to their clients. Rather, they should refer their clients to registered dieticians or nutritionists whenever appropriate. In addition, trainers are not allowed to prescribe or recommend any sort of nutritional supplements for their clientele.

Why is this so? It’s because giving nutrition advice is outside a trainer’s scope of practice. Unless he has any certifications on nutrition or has extensively studied about the subject matter, your Chicago trainer or gym coach should not be dictating your diet plans or what you should eat for each meal; he should only focus on helping you improve your physical fitness through exercise. Nutrition counseling requires a license – and only certified dieticians and nutritionists should do the task of prescribing a specific diet program to ensure that it’s appropriate for your health.

Dealing with Nutrition Concerns
Of course, that’s not to say that fitness professionals, such as those Chicago trainers in your local health clubs, don’t know a thing about proper nutrition – they do. You can still consult with them about some diet concerns you might have – in fact, they might even enlighten you with some nutritional facts. But, don’t be too quick to follow their suggestions.

Also, you should not make any drastic changes to your diet without first consulting with your nutritionist. This way, you can avoid any undesirable side effects brought about by inappropriate and unhealthy diets.

If you’re a working woman with a busy schedule, you don’t need to squeeze in a trip to the gym just to stay in shape. You can get exercise anywhere, even when you’re entertaining a phone call. According to a renowned trainer in Chicago, doing simple exercises while on the phone can help you gain more blood flow and elevate oxygen levels. For starters, here are three routines you can try out:

Wall Sits
When you know it’s going to be a rather long conversation on the phone, try getting up and walking over to a nearby wall. Place your back against it and “walk” your feet out till you’re in a seated position, as if you’re sitting down on an invisible chair. Go down as far as you can and hold that position for 30 seconds. Then “walk” your feet back toward the wall and stand up straight once more. This routine is rather intense and will surely tire you out, so start with only two sets of 30 seconds each daily.

Arm Curls
Another good exercise while chatting on the phone is arm curls. Our Chicago trainer says that you don’t have to have traditional weights like dumbbells at your home or office. Instead, try using a large can of spaghetti sauce, or something else that’s heavy yet small and easy to grip. Sit on the edge of your chair with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Keeping your elbows at your side, and whatever you’re holding hanging near the floor. Then, bring the object upward to your biceps. Do this about 15 times for each arm.

Walk, Walk, Walk
Instead of just sitting or standing in place while on the phone, march around or run in place. If you have a cordless phone or you’re using your mobile phone, walk from one end of your house or office to the other end, or climb up and down the stairs. You’d be amazed at how many calories you can actually burn during a 10- to 15-minute phone call. Also, doing this helps make the time go by faster — especially when they put you on hold!

Doing the exact same exercise routine day after day isn’t a bad thing. Some people prefer, and even enjoy, a consistent, predictable regimen. They don’t mind if they experience a training plateau, and they’re content with maintaining their current fitness levels within a comfort zone of familiar exercise habits.

But Are You One of Them?
However, any health expert, such as a Chicago trainer, will tell you that people often need to push themselves to a new level and try different exercises to stay motivated and enthusiastic about their fitness regimens. So when you feel yourself flagging or bored with your current workout, then it’s time to change it up a bit so you can stay physically challenged and mentally stimulated to do your exercises. Changing your workout program reduces boredom, keeps you focused and motivated, and in the long run, maximizes results.

The Key is Variety
Vary the intensity, resistance level, and/or type of workout program that you do daily. For example, take a week off your current workout program, and instead go for a walk around the neighborhood, play with your kids at the park, or ride a bike. Also, you can alter your workout schedule for a while. If you do weight training MWF, try doing cardio exercises instead on those days. Then, jog or swim on Tuesday and Thursday, and do your weights on Saturday.

Train with Different Equipment
If you use machines normally, then switch to free weights for a spell. If you use a stationary bike or treadmill for your cardio, try using a rowing or an elliptical machine instead. Also, alter your workout intensity. Lift weights with increased reps two or three days a week, then heavier weights with lower reps the rest of the week. This will help keep you from plateauing.

Consult a Trainer in Chicago
Personal, individualized training can help you determine when you should vary your routine, and also give you the best, most optimal workout program to meet your specific goals and needs. Accredited trainers are knowledgeable in a whole spectrum of exercise and routines that can spice up your normal workout program — and thus keep you motivated and focused!

Recent research indicates that children tend to imitate their parents’ eating habits — and so the best way to teach kids to eat good, healthy foods is to have their parents do it first. These are some Dos and Don’ts, according to some Chicago trainers, weight specialists, and fitness providers:

DO limit the number of calories your kids drink
Kids nowadays drink too much soda and juice each day. Stick to the recommended limits of 4-6 oz. of fruit juice for children below 6 years and only 8-12 oz. for older children — this can help limit weight gain. Even the amount of milk that children drink should be limited. Although milk is important and a good calcium source, too much of it can lead to your child becoming overweight. Kids usually need only about 16-24 oz. of milk daily.

DON’T have fast-food meals too often
Of course, kids will want their hamburgers, pizza, and fried chicken – and it’s okay to give in from time to time. But there’s no need to super-size their meals! Any trainer in Chicago will tell you that super-sized meal portions often lead to children becoming overweight.

DO encourage exercise and physical activity
This includes taking walks as a family, playing outdoors, riding bikes together, or participating in some kind of organized sport like baseball or soccer. Limit the time your child spends watching TV, playing computer games, surfing the Web, and text messaging – too much of these sedentary activities actually contribute to weight problems.

DON’T force your child to “clean their plates”
A good way to get your children to eat healthy is for them to learn that they can stop eating when they’re already full. But don’t tell your child to diet in order to lose weight, either! According to a recent study, kids who were encouraged to diet were just as likely to become overweight as those who were forced to finish their second helpings.